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Values & Culture Survey generates strong response

Results currently being compiled; final report to be issued in spring 2014

December 19, 2013

Values & Culture Survey generates strong response

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Values & Culture Survey received a 13.2 percent response rate, garnering input from more than 14,600 students, faculty and staff at 24 Penn State campuses. The voluntary, confidential survey, which ran from Oct. 29 to Nov. 22, was designed to help University leaders gain a fuller understanding of the priorities and collective values of the people who learn and work at Penn State every day.

The feedback included nearly 2,300 faculty responses; more than 5,200 responses from staff, technical service employees and administrators; nearly 5,700 responses from undergraduate students; and more than 1,400 responses from graduate students.

The results will be used to develop an inclusive statement of shared values for the University community, and will help University leaders to fashion and improve ethics and compliance programs.

“We are grateful to the thousands of campus community members who took the time to help Penn State in this important endeavor, and we are looking forward to the results,” said Regis Becker, director of University Ethics and Compliance. “The feedback gathered will be crucial as we work to define a clear statement of Penn State values that the entire University community can aspire to, and that will help to strengthen further the confidence and comfort level of students and employees to report wrongdoing whenever it may be happening.”

The survey was conducted by the Virginia-based Ethics Resource Center (ERC), an independent, nonprofit organization and recognized leader in the field of organizational survey work. Responses will be aggregated and only summary data will be provided back to Penn State so that no individual within any unit can be identified. Winners of the voluntary drawing for 20 iPad Airs, administered by ERC as part of the survey process, have been notified.

ERC will deliver an executive summary of the findings in spring 2014 and Becker said the document will be published at that time.